From detention centre to tourism hotspot?

A tropical destination with azure waters, an abundance of wildlife and natural wonders and only a four-hour flight from Perth?

Christmas Island may be a far cry from Bali’s shopping and nightlife offerings but as a destination, it could offer a quieter alternative to Australia’s favourite holiday hotspot.

Locals have been campaigning for the island’s transformation for years now, seeking to showcase the island’s abundance of unique wildlife and breathtaking coral reefs.

And with visitor numbers in 2018 almost doubling from the previous year, it looks like they’re finally seeing some results.

But the government has other plans.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently announced the government would spend $1 billion reopening the island’s detention centre, which closed last year.

According to ABC, the island’s economy has been sustained by the phosphate mining industry, but as it winds down, tourism might be its saviour.

“The island’s had 30 years to start refocusing but I feel to some degree that hasn’t been done,” Lisa Preston, chair of the island’s tourism association told the ABC.

“There hasn’t been enough forward planning to prevent a serious economic downturn if the mine closed.”

Expensive and irregular flights have proven to be another obstacle on the path to a blossoming tourism industry, not to mention a serious lack of tourism infrastructure and public transport.

Swell Lodge on Christmas Island

But according to Preston, the island has plenty of hidden gems and perks to offer the eager traveller.

“We haven’t been spoiled by mass tourism, we don’t have that many people living here, we’ve got a clean environment,” she said.

Chris Bray, who owns an eco-lodge on the island, told the ABC that if the island’s association with its detention centre doesn’t turn around, the domestic tourism market will continue to miss out.

“That negative connotation has done the island enormous damage for tourism because it’s completely not the case,” he said.

“Thankfully, overseas it’s not so bad. But in the Australian market, it needs a lot of help.”

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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